Improvement in breech-loading- fire-arms



l. M. MILBANK.

Patented Dec. I, 1868.

Wwf-@eases fj ig E e 'y i timed wie@ tent l time.

ISAAC M. MILBANK, OF GREENFIELD IIILL, CONNECTICUT.

i Letters Patent No. 84,566, dated December l, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEECH-LOADING- ETRE-RMS The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same. v

To all 'whom it may coiwera:

Be it known that I, ISAAC M.MILBANK, of Greenfield Hill, in the county of Fairfield, and State of Gonnecticut, have invented and made a certain new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing,jmaking part of this specification, whereiny Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved fire-arm, at the breech portion thereof;

Figure 2 is a plan of'said fire-arm;

Figure 3 is an end View of the hammer and its slidebolt; and

Figure 4 is a cross-section at the line x fr.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

The object of this invention is to cocltthe hammer, as the preliminary operation in opening the breech, and to effect 'the opening of the breech by a continuation of the motion that cocked the hammer. Also, to lock the trigger in such a manner that the piece cannot be accidentally discharged by the trigger being touched. I also make use ofthe hammer as a means for locking vthe breech-block into place.

In the drawinga is the rear end of the barrel;

l) is a portion of the wooden stock;

c is the trigger-guard; and

(l, the trigger.

These parts may be of any usual size or character.

At the rear of the barrel, or formed with it, is' the metallic'breech-tube e, having a mortise in one side, or in the top, for the swinging breech-block. I have shown said mortisc as in the sidc,'to allow the breechblock f to swing in and out upon the hinge g, at the right side `of the piece.

'n The breech-tube c 'is formed with anabutmcnt at t, for the rear end of the block f to set against when closed, and, through this, the hammer h slides.

This hammer is at the end oi a sliding bolt, lIt', that is formed wit-h a head, 2, against which the spring lt acts, and with a guiding tail-piece, l, that slides in the movable block on.

This block m iits at the forward end of the rear portion of the breech-tube c, and is provided with a hook or spur, 3, entering a hole in thc under portion of c, so that, on lifting this block m until the spur 3 is disengaged, the block oa, spring'ls, bolt h', and its hammer h, can all be removed with ihcility, or replaced; and, in consequence ofthe hannncr lt not being upon the axial line ofthe bolt h, but eccentric thereto, the parts cannot become misplaced or improperly entered.

n is a sere on a fulerum, 4, with a hook-end, 5, tai;- ing a notch, o', in the head 2 of the bolt 71T, and the position of thc parts is suoli, as seen in l, that the pressure of the spring lt tends to retain the hook of the sere within said notch; butthe sere can be easily withdrawn by the heel of the trigger d acting on the Alonger arm of said sere, a.

; In the swinging breech-block f is a hole, running through the same, and on line, or nearly so, with the hammer h, when the breech is closed, and in this hole is a punch, yi. This hole is located so that the forward 'end ofthe punch comes on the line of the centre of the-barrel for a central-fire cartridge, or near the edge of the same for a cartridge with the fulminate in the rim.

A lever, (bis 4jointed to the breech-block f by a hinge at fr, and is provided with a toothed segment, s, taking teeth in the firing-pin or punch t. v

After the piece has been'discharged, the lever q is turned out, as shown by red lines in fig. 2, In doing this, the firing-pin t is driven back sutiiciently to press the hammer h into the abutmentt', so that its forward end is clear ofthe swinging breecl1-blockj,-and hence a continuation of the mpvemen't, by pressure on the end of the lever q, swings the breech open for the removal ofthe empty cartridge-shell by any suitable mechanism, and for thc introduction of another cartridge.

The hammer h being pressed back snfiiciently for the sere a to take the notch 6 in 2, the hammer is retained fully cocked, and ready for being discharged. The position of the parts, however, is such that the front end ofthe hammer projects sufiiciently to enter the hole in the breech-block, and hold the same in place when closed, the inclined end of the breech-block f having forced said hammer slightly back in the act of closing.

If desired, the firing-pin might be drawn back, the hammer discharged, and the hammer allowed to move gradually forward, as the lever q is swung back to its normal position when it is desired to carry the gun loaded, and avoid the risk of accidental discharge. I, however, provide a trigger-lock, to prevent the piece being discharged by the trigger accidentally.

. I construct the trigger-lock of a block, t, that is set upon the spring t, so that it usually stands vin behind the trigger, and prevents it being drawn back; and in order to raise this block t, so that the trigger el can be pulled when the piece is to be fired, I make use of a projection, yu, coming from the spring t through the strap of the trigger-guard, so that, when the small of the stock is grasped in firing, the trigger-lock will be raised out ofthe way.

If desired, a hole might be made in the back end of the hannner-tail, to receive a pin for preventing accidental discharge, and a spring might be employed to keep thc lever q from moving in handling the piece.

The project-ion u might be shaped, as shown by dotted lines in iig. l, for convenience in operating the trigger.

l do not claim a. sliding bolt, acting as a triggerlock, as that has before been employed.

T'fhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Fatent 7 Tl e lever q, actuating the iiring-pin as the breech mired, in combination with the sliding hammer and bc substantially as and' for the purposes set forth.

: l ifa 2. The movable block mT/n combination with the In Witness whereof, I have, hereunto set 4my signahammer h,bolt h', and spring 70,' as and for the purture, this 17 th day of June, A. D. 1868.

poses ses forth, 1. M. MILBANK.

3. The trigger-look, formed of the spring t, swing- Witnesses; ing block t, :md projection u, in combination with the GRAS. H. SMITH trigger d, for the purposes and as set folth. @ma D. W ALKER; 

